Role of B-Type Natriuretic Peptide in Predicting In-Hospital Outcomes in Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease With Preserved Left Ventricular Function: A 5-Year Retrospective Analysis.

Background: The role of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is less understood in the risk stratification of patients with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), especially in patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Methods: This retrospective study from 2008 to 2012 evaluated all adult patients with AECOPD having BNP levels and available echocardiographic data demonstrating LVEF ≥40%. The patients were divided into groups 1, 2, and 3 with BNP ≤ 100, 101 to 500, and ≥501 pg/mL, respectively.

Chitosan hydrogel microspheres: an effective covalent matrix for crosslinking of soluble dextranase to increase stability and recycling efficiency.

Dextranase is a unique biocatalyst that has high specificity and stereo-selectivity towards a complex biopolymer known as dextran. Dextranase has wide industrial application, but most of the time harsh environmental conditions adversely affect the functionality and stability of the enzyme. To overcome this issue, a covalent cross-linking immobilization method was adapted in the current study utilizing a nontoxic and biocompatible matrix known as chitosan.

Grafting: A Technique to Modify Ion Accumulation in Horticultural Crops.

Grafting is a centuries-old technique used in plants to obtain economic benefits. Grafting increases nutrient uptake and utilization efficiency in a number of plant species, including fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals. Selected rootstocks of the same species or close relatives are utilized in grafting.

One Step Assembly of Thin Films of Carbon Nanotubes on Screen Printed Interface for Electrochemical Aptasensing of Breast Cancer Biomarker.

Thin films of organic moiety functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from a very well-dispersed aqueous solution were designed on a screen printed transducer surface through a single step directed assembly methodology. Very high density of CNTs was obtained on the screen printed electrode surface, with the formation of a thin and uniform layer on transducer substrate. Functionalized CNTs were characterized by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Brunauer-Emmett- Teller (BET) surface area analyzer methodologies, while CNT coated screen printed transducer platform was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).

Synthesis, characterization, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and nematicidal activities of 2-amino-3-cyanochromenes.

Soil-borne plant pathogens such as nematodes, fungi and some bacteria not only affect the plant cultures but also economy and environmental implications. As a result of these pathogens attacks, the yield and quality of crops is affected. Therefore, synthesis of new compounds to control these pathogens is very important and need of time.

Silicon occurrence, uptake, transport and mechanisms of heavy metals, minerals and salinity enhanced tolerance in plants with future prospects: A review.

Recently, heavy metals pollution due to industrialization and urbanization, use of untreated wastewater and unreasonable use of pesticides and fertilizers is increasing rapidly, resulting in major threat to the environment and contaminate soils. Silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element in the earth crust after oxygen. Although it's higher accumulation in plants, yet Si has not been listed as essential nutrient however, considered as beneficial element for growth of plants particularly in stressed environment.

TS-EUROTRAIN: A European-Wide Investigation and Training Network on the Etiology and Pathophysiology of Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome.

Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS) is characterized by the presence of multiple motor and phonic tics with a fluctuating course of intensity, frequency, and severity. Up to 90% of patients with GTS present with comorbid conditions, most commonly attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), thus providing an excellent model for the exploration of shared etiology across disorders. TS-EUROTRAIN (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-ITN, Grant Agr.

Uptake and distribution of minerals and heavy metals in commonly grown leafy vegetable species irrigated with sewage water.

Heavy metal uptake and accumulation behavior in dietary vegetables irrigated with sewage waters is an important issue worldwide. The main objective of this study was to examine and compare the physiological and growth responses of leafy vegetables irrigated with sewage water. A pot experiment was conducted in a wire house with three leafy vegetables, coriander (Coriandrum sativum), mint (Mentha arvensis), and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum), grown under ambient conditions.

Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Activities of Creatinine Amides and Creatinine Schiff Bases.

Background: In spite of substantial progress in scientific cognizance and medical technology, still infectious diseases are among the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Creatinine and Schiff bases are well known for their diverse range of biological activities and thought to be emerging and useful therapeutic target for the treatment of several diseases.

Methods: The present work was aimed to illustrate the influence of substitution of amides and Schiff bases on creatinine and their antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-urease effectiveness was determined.

The threatening but unpredictable Sarcoptes scabiei: first deadly outbreak in the Himalayan lynx, Lynx lynx isabellinus, from Pakistan.

Although neglected, the mite Sarcoptes scabiei is an unpredictable emerging parasite, threatening human and animal health globally. In this paper we report the first fatal outbreak of sarcoptic mange in the endangered Himalayan lynx (Lynx lynx isabellinus) from Pakistan. A 10-year-old male Himalayan lynx was found in a miserable condition with severe crusted lesions in Chitral District, and immediately died.

Diagnostic Accuracy of 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography in the Evaluation of Carcinoma of Unknown Primary.

Objective: Detection of primary tumor site in patients with carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) syndrome has always been a diagnostic dilemma, necessitating extensive workup. Early detection of primary tumor site coupled with specific therapy improves prognosis. The low detection rate of the primary tumor site can be attributed to the biological behavior or the small size of the primary tumor to be detected by conventional imaging.

Corrigendum: Melatonin: Current Status and Future Perspectives in Plant Science.

[This corrects the article on p. 1230 in vol. 6, PMID: 26793210.

An Alternative Approach to Synthesizing Galactooligosaccharides by Cell-Surface Display of β-Galactosidase on Yarrowia lipolytica.

An alternative strategy for synthesizing galactooligosaccharides (GOS) from an erythritol-producing yeast Yarrowia lipolytica using surface display technology was demonstrated. The engineered strain CGMCC11369 was developed by fusion of the β-galactosidase gene from Aspergillus oryzae to the YlPir1 gene, which codes for a cell wall protein. β-Galactosidase was effectively displayed on the cell surface of Yarrowia lipolytica start strain CGMCC7326.

Extracellular vesicles in ovarian cancer: applications to tumor biology, immunotherapy and biomarker discovery.

In recent years there has been tremendous interest in both the basic biology and applications of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in translational cancer research. This includes a better understanding of their biogenesis and mechanisms of selective cargo packaging, their precise roles in horizontal communication, and their application as non-invasive biomarkers. The rapid advances in next-generation omics technologies are the driving forces for these discoveries.

Synthesis, spectral studies and biological evaluation of 2-aminonicotinic acid metal complexes.

We synthesized 2-aminonicotinic acid (2-ANA) complexes with metals such as Co(II), Fe(III), Ni(II), Mn(II), Zn(II), Ag(I),Cr(III), Cd(II) and Cu(II) in aqueous media. The complexes were characterized and elucidated using FT-IR, UV-Vis, a fluorescence spectrophotometer and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). TGA data showed that the stoichiometry of complexes was 1:2 metal/ligand except for Ag(I) and Mn(II) where the ratio was 1:1.

Polyacrylamide Gel-Entrapped Maltase: An Excellent Design of Using Maltase in Continuous Industrial Processes.

Bacterial maltase catalyzes the hydrolysis of maltose and is known as one of the most significant hydrolases. It has several applications in different industrial processes but widely used in food fermentation technology and alcohol production. In the current study, entrapment technique was comprehensively examined using polyacrylamide gel as a matrix support to improve the stability and catalytic efficiency of maltase for continuous use.

Melatonin: Current Status and Future Perspectives in Plant Science.

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a ubiquitous molecule with pleiotropic actions in different organisms. It performs many important functions in human, animals, and plants; these range from regulating circadian rhythms in animals to controlling senescence in plants. In this review, we summarize the available information regarding the presence of melatonin in different plant species, along with highlighting its biosynthesis and mechanisms of action.

Extracellular Vesicles: Evolving Factors in Stem Cell Biology.

Stem cells are proposed to continuously secrete trophic factors that potentially serve as mediators of autocrine and paracrine activities, associated with reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment, tissue regeneration, and repair. Hitherto, significant efforts have been made to understand the level of underlying paracrine activities influenced by stem cell secreted trophic factors, as little is known about these interactions. Recent findings, however, elucidate this role by reporting the effects of stem cell derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) that mimic the phenotypes of the cells from which they originate.

Morphological and molecular based identification of pectinase producing from rotten vegetable.

Pectinase catalyzed the degradation of pectin substances and has been used in various biotechnological industries. In the current study, 23 bacterial strains were isolated from rotten vegetables, soil and air. The isolated bacterial strains were qualitatively screened for pectinase production on pectin agar medium and only three strains HR 4, HR 21 and HR 23 were observed to produce extracellular pectinase.

Immobilization of pectin depolymerising polygalacturonase using different polymers.

Polygalacturonase catalyses the hydrolysis of pectin substances and widely has been used in food and textile industries. In current study, different polymers such as calcium alginate beads, polyacrylamide gel and agar-agar matrix were screened for the immobilization of polygalacturonase through entrapment technique. Polyacrylamide gel was found to be most promising one and gave maximum (89%) immobilization yield as compared to agar-agar (80%) and calcium alginate beads (46%).

Continuous degradation of maltose by enzyme entrapment technology using calcium alginate beads as a matrix.

Maltase from KIBGE-IB4 was immobilized within calcium alginate beads using entrapment technique. Immobilized maltase showed maximum immobilization yield with 4% sodium alginate and 0.2 M calcium chloride within 90.

Association of AADAC Deletion and Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome in a Large European Cohort.

Background: Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder with a strong genetic influence where copy number variations are suggested to play a role in disease pathogenesis. In a previous small-scale copy number variation study of a GTS cohort (n = 111), recurrent exon-affecting microdeletions of four genes, including the gene encoding arylacetamide deacetylase (AADAC), were observed and merited further investigations.

Methods: We screened a Danish cohort of 243 GTS patients and 1571 control subjects for submicroscopic deletions and duplications of these four genes.

A Compact "Water Window" Microscope with 60 nm Spatial Resolution for Applications in Biology and Nanotechnology.

Short illumination wavelength allows an extension of the diffraction limit toward nanometer scale; thus, improving spatial resolution in optical systems. Soft X-ray (SXR) radiation, from "water window" spectral range, λ=2.3-4.

Stem cell-derived exosomes: roles in stromal remodeling, tumor progression, and cancer immunotherapy.

Stem cells are known to maintain stemness at least in part through secreted factors that promote stem-like phenotypes in resident cells. Accumulating evidence has clarified that stem cells release nano-vesicles, known as exosomes, which may serve as mediators of cell-to-cell communication and may potentially transmit stem cell phenotypes to recipient cells, facilitating stem cell maintenance, differentiation, self-renewal, and repair. It has become apparent that stem cell-derived exosomes mediate interactions among stromal elements, promote genetic instability in recipient cells, and induce malignant transformation.